This is a frustrating but common issue when switching to high-performance mesh systems like the Orbi, particularly when interacting with Windows PCs. Since your internet speeds have increased, we know the connection is solid, but specific types of traffic—like the secure background syncing iCloud requires—are likely being blocked or miscategorized. The most common culprit is actually a Windows setting rather than a router configuration. When you connected your Dell laptop to the new Orbi Wi-Fi, Windows likely identified it as a "New Network" and defaulted your security profile to "Public." In this mode, Windows tightens the firewall and frequently blocks background sync services to protect you. To fix this, click the Wi-Fi icon in your taskbar, select "Properties" for your Orbi network, and change the profile from Public to Private, then restart the computer.
If that doesn't resolve the issue, the next suspect is the Netgear Armor feature (powered by Bitdefender) that comes with the RBR750. This security software runs inside the router and often flags encrypted cloud syncing services like iCloud or Dropbox as suspicious activity, blocking the data transfer. You should open the Orbi app on your phone, navigate to the Security/Armor tile, and temporarily disable it. If your photos immediately start syncing after disabling Armor and restarting the iCloud app on your PC, you will know that you need to whitelist iCloud in the Armor settings rather than changing router ports.
Should the problem persist, you will need to adjust specific settings in the Orbi web interface (orbilogin.com) that are known to conflict with Apple services and Starlink. First, navigate to the Advanced Setup and disable IPv6, as Netgear’s implementation often causes handshake failures with Apple’s servers. Second, change your DNS servers in the Internet Setup menu to Google (8.8.8.8) or Cloudflare (1.1.1.1) to ensure Apple's content servers are resolving correctly. Finally, because you are using Starlink, you should adjust the MTU Size in the WAN Setup. Starlink packets differ slightly from standard cable; changing the MTU from the default 1500 to 1400 can often resolve packet loss on secure connections like iCloud.
To ensure you are troubleshooting the right device, I recommend performing a quick diagnostic check by logging into iCloud.com via a web browser on your Dell laptop. If you see your recent iPhone photos on the website, the issue is definitely isolated to your laptop's connection or firewall.
However, if the recent photos are not on the website, the blockage is actually happening between your iPhone and the Orbi. In that case, you should go to your iPhone's Wi-Fi settings for the Orbi network and toggle off "Private Wi-Fi Address" and "Limit IP Address Tracking," which can sometimes interfere with mesh network communication.
